Vest



C. J. ELLIS Oct. 1, 1963 VEST 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed D80- 9, 1959 IN VENTOR. Q/fiv/P 4/ [11/5 flrrmara.

C. J. ELLIS VEST 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deg. 9, 1959 3.1 05359 PatentedGet. 1, 1963 ice 3,165,359 VEST {Ziifiord J. Ellis, 1424 Woodbine,Lansing, Mich. Filed Dec. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 858,462 5 Claims. (Cl.61-70) The present invention relates to a vest and refers moreparticularly to a diving vest for skin divers adapted to moreefliciently support the apparatus necessary for skin diving and to bequickly removed including adjustable means to support an air lungtherein and also including inverted weight pockets.

In the past skin divers have used complicated harnesses for support ofair lungs in conjunction with extra belts and other means for carryingthe necessary Weights and accessories of a skin diver. Such apparatus isoften uncomfortable to the skin diver, particularly if he is walking outof the water with his equipment in place as is sometimes necessary. Theharness, belts and the like supporting the heavy lung and weights cutinto the body of the diver. More important, however, With a number or"harnesses and belts attached to his body the skin diver often finds itdifiicult to quickly remove his equipment when it is necessary to do soin order to surface quickly. Furthermore loose straps and belts may cutofi the divers air or catch on under-water objects in use.

It is therefore one or" the purposes of the present invention to providea diving vest which is capable of containing all of the accessoriesneeded by skin divers and which may be quickly removed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a diving vestfor skin divers comprising a sleeveless fabric jocket havin a pouchsecurely attached thereto in which an air lung may be supported andwhich includes reinforcing straps positioned thereon to distribute theweight carried by the diver and which is arranged to be quickly removed.

Another object is to provide a diving vest as indicated above whereinmeans are provided in conjunction with the air lung pouch for adjustablysupporting the air lung therein.

Another object is to provide a diving vest as described above includinginverted weight pockets to permit rapid dropping or removal of Weightstherefrom.

Another object is to provide a diving vest as described above includingsnaps and grommets thereon to facilitate the attachment thereto ofapparatus such as emergency buoyant equipment, knives, etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a diving vest for skindivers which is simple in construction, economical :to produce andeflioient in use.

Other objects and features of the invention Will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying dra. ings, iilustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention, wherein:

FEGURE l is a view of a diving vest according to the invention having adiving lung mounted therein and spread relatively flat.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the diving vest shown in FIGURE 1 as it wouldappear in use.

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the diving vest shown in FIGU'IE 1 as itwould appear in use.

FIGURE 4 is a rear view of the diving vest shown in FIGURE 1 as it wouldappear in use.

With reference to the drawings a particular embodiment of the inventionwill now be described.

A diving vest, generally indicated according to the invention isillustrated in FIGURE 1. The diving vest in as shown is constructed inthe form of a sleeveless jacket 12 having straps or belts 14, 16, 18,29, 22 and 23 secured thereto as shown in the figures. Vest 19 alsoincludes a pouch 24 attached to the rear or" jacket 12. adapted toadjustably receive an air lung 26 such as used by skin divers therein.Inverted pockets 28 are likewise attached to jacket 12 as illustratedfor holding diving weights. in addition jacket 12 is provided withgrommets 3i}, tabs 32 and snaps 34% for the attachment of divingapparatus.

In use as shown in'FiGURES 2, 3 and 4 the diving vest It) is adapted toadjustably support the air lung 26 in a manner such that the diver isnot encumbered or made uncomfortable by a plurality of harnesses andbelts. Further vest it? is particularly constructed to permit readyremoval thereof by means of pulling the end 4?? of the single belt 22and removing belt 22 from the loop of belt 23. in addition the vest itis particularly constructed to permit ready release of diving Weightsfrom the inverted pockets 28.

More specifically, vest 1G is constructed of light canvas or duck ty ematerial in the form shown. The vest is reinforced around each edgethereof by reinforcing strips and stitching as indicated at 36. Furtherit will be noted that the sleeveless jacket i2 is constructed in threepieces joined along the sides and shoulders thereof by multiple lines ofstitching.

In addition it will be noted that the jacket 12 is provided withrelatively large shoulder openings through which the arms of the diverextend to provide full movement for the diver and to permit divers ofgreatly varying size to use the same diving vest 10 without particularadjustment thereof by merely increasing or decreasing the gap at thefront of the jacket 12 as shown in FIG- URE 3.

Thus a diving vest such as that disclosed by applicant is suitable foruse by divers of various size in contrast to harness and beltconstructions which must be adjusted to fit each particular diver. i

Grommets 3% as shown best in FIGURES 1 and 4 may be provided wheredesired in the vest it) to permit tying or hooking diving accessories,such as li hts, knives and the like to the diving vest Without thenecessity of wearing a separate belt therefor. Grommets 39 may be thewell known annular rings set in the reinforced material at the edge ofvest lit.

Similarly tabs 32 sewn to the vest where desired may be used inconjunction with grommets 3% or snaps 3 to provide means for retamingdiving equipment such as the rod 38 or emergency buoyant equipment (notshown). Similar snaps 3- may be used as closure means for pockets 23 asshown.

Belts id and 15 are secured to the jacket 12 by means of stitching andextend from the pockets 28 over diiierent shoulders as shown and aresecured to the upper portion of the pouch 24. Thus the weight of the airlung 26 is o'fiset by the weights carried in pockets 2% whereby thediving vest is substantially balanced to give equal bearing across theshoulders of the jacket. Further as will be understood since theshoulders of the jacket iii are substantially wider than the usualharness that the Weight in the pockets 2% and the weight of the air lungwill be distributed over a greater body area providing less discomfortfor the diver.

Strap 18 is secured to the lower part of the pouch and strap 2% issecured to the upper part of pouch 24 as illustrated. The air lung 26may be adjusted vertically through adjustment of the straps 13 and 2%)as will be readily evident. Belt 2% is split longitudinally as shownbest in FIGURE 2 to permit passage of the valve of the .air lung 26therethrough and allow for vertical adjustment of the air lung asindicated. Belt 13 is provided with an enlarged portion 42 adapted toform a seat for the air lung 26 supported in the pouch 24 asillustrated.

Belt 22 laterally ties belts 14 and 15 together and also provides ahorizontal member over which belt 23 may be looped as shown best inFIGURE 3. Belt 23 in use extends from the lower part of the back of thejacket 12 between the crotch of the user as shown in FIGURE 2. Thus withbelt 22 properly secured as illustrated best in FIGURE 3 it is onlynecessary to pull end 40 thereof and remove belt 22 from the loop ofbelt 23 to permit releasing the diving vest, weights and air lung shouldit become necessary to do so while diving.

Pouch 24 as illustrated is sewn at each side to the back of the jacket12 with reinforced stitching and is of sufiicient cylindricaldirnensionto receive an air lung 26 as shown. As previously indicated the air lung26 is adjustable vertically within the pouch 24 by means of straps 18 or20.

Tabs 43 are provided attached to the bottom edge of pouch 24 as shownbest in FIGURES 1 and 4. Tabs 43 aid in inserting air lung 26 in pouch24. The tabs 43 are particularly useful when the pouch 24 is wet andtherefore tends to cling to air lung 26. In use tabs 43 are gripped tohold the bottom of the pouch 24 stationary during insertion of an airlung therein.

Pockets 28 as shown are substantially rectangular and are particularlyadapted to hold therein a series of flat rectangular weights which maybe removed therefrom quickly and efficiently by means of unsnappingsnaps 34 and letting the weights drop into the hand.

In use an air lung is placed in pouch 24 of the diving vest as shown inFIGURE 1 and the vertical position thereof in the pouch 24 is adjusted.Rod 38 is secured between tabs 32 and pouch 24 by means of snap 34,Weights are placed in pockets 28 as desired and if desired emergencybuoyant equipment may be placed across tabs 35 on belts 14 and 16 whichhave either grommets or snaps on the end thereof to permit attachment ordetachment of the emergency buoyant equipment. Additionally tabs 35 maybe snapped or stitched to jacket 12.

The vest may then be picked up and put on in the manner of a sleevelessjacket, the belt 23 looped and passed over the belt 22 as shown inFIGURE 3, and the belt 22 fastened so that it may be unfastened bypulling of the end 40. Other diving accessories as desired may be hookedto grommets 3G or tabs 32 and 35 and diving may be commenced.

Should it become necessary to walk about out of the water applicantsconstruction is such that there are no thin straps or undistributedweight to make the diver uncomfortable. Further as has been previouslypointed out the construction disclosed is such that all of the divingapparatus including the air lung, weights, and accessories may bedropped from the diver by the simple motion of pulling the end 40 ofbelt 22, thus giving added safety to the diver should it becomenecessary to surface quickly.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description ofthe improved vest in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as toenable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, thescope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A diving vest for use in skin diving, comprising a jacket, a pouchsecured to the rear of said jacket for supporting an air lung therein,means for adjusting the vertical position of an air lung positionedwithin said pouch comprising a first strap extending across the bottomof the pouch and having a wide portion immediately beneath the pouch,means for adjusting the effective length of said first strap, a secondstrap extending across the top of the pouch and having an elongated slottherethrough for receiving the valve of the air lung, means foradjusting the efiective length of said second strap, inverted pocketsincluding closing flaps and quick opening fastening means secured to thefront of said jacket for supporting diving weights, third and fourthstraps extending vertically over'and secured to the front of the jacketeach having one end secured to the weight pockets and passing over oneof the shoulders of the jacket, the other ends of the third and fourthstraps being secured to the top of the pouch, a fifth strap secured tothe jacket around the waist thereof and a sixth strap secured to thelower portion of the back of the jacket for extending between the legsof a diver and releasably engaging the fifth strap so that the jacket iscomfortably secured to a diver and may be quickly removed from a divershould the need arise.

2. A diving vest, comprising a jacket, a pouch secured to the rear ofsaid jacket for supporting an air lung therein, means for adjusting thevertical position of an air lung positioned Within said pouch comprisinga first strap extending across the bottom of the pouch and a secondstrap extending across the top of the pouch, means for adjusting theelfective length of said' first and second straps, inverted pocketsincluding closing flaps and quick opening fastening means secured to thefront of said jacket for supporting diving weights, third and fourthstraps secured to the front of the jacket each having one end secured toone of the weight pockets and the other end secured to the pouch, afifth strap secured to the jacket around the waist thereof and a sixthstrap secured to the lower portion of the back of the jacket forextending between the legs of a diver and releasably engaging the fifthstrap in use.

3. A diving vest for use in skin diving comprising a jacket havingintegrally constructed total front and back portions, a flexible pouchsecured to the rear of said jacket substantially centrally thereof forsupporting an air lung therein, a first strap fixedly secured to thebottom of the jacket and pouch in the rear of the jacket for supportingthe bottom of an air lung within the pouch, a second and third strapfixedly secured'to the shoulders of the vest and fixedly secured to thetop of the pouch for supporting an air lung within the pouch in apredetermined position, pockets fixedly secured to the front of thejacket for supporting diving weights, a reinforcing band fixedly securedto said jacket around the waist thereof and a fourth strap fixedlysecured to the lower portion of the back of the jacket for extendingbetween the legs of a diver and releasably engaging the reinforcing bandfor securing the jacket to a diver.

4. A diving vest for use in skin diving, comprising a flexible jackethaving integrally constructed total back and front portions, a flexiblepouch located substantially centrally of and secured to the back portionof said jacket for supporting an lung, said pouch having an open top andbottom, and means secured to said vest for adjusting the verticalposition of an air lung positioned within said pouch whereby the airlung may be conveniently transported both in and out of water by divershaving different body structure comprising a strap extending across thebottom of the pouch and having a wide portion immediately beneath thepouch, means for adjusting the effective length of said strap, a secondstrap extending across the top of the pouch and having an elongated slottherethrough for receiving the valve of the air lung and means foradjusting the effective length of said strap.

5. A diving vest for use in skin diving, comprising a flexible jacketopen in the front and having integrally constructed total back and frontportions, a flexible pouch located substantially centrally of andsecured to the back portion of said jacket for supporting an air lung,said pouch having an open top and bottom, and means secured to said vestfor adjusting the vertical position of an air lung positioned withinsaid pouch whereby the air lung may be conveniently transported both inand out of water by divers having different body structure, strapsextending vertically along the front of the jacket and passing over theshoulders thereof and secured to the jacket, the ends of the strapspassing over the shoulders of the jacket being secured to the top of thepouch, another strap secured to the jacket around the waist thereof, anda further strap secured to the lower portion of the back of the jacketfor extending between the legs of a diver and releasably engaging theWaist strap so that the vest is comfortably secured to a diver and maybe quickly removed by the diver should the need arise.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6Brown Nov. 13, 1945 Grogan Apr. 8, 1952 Berkman Nov. 18, 1952Kissenberger Dec. 16, 1958 Bently Mar. 21, 1961 Akers May 2, 196 1FOREIGN PATENTS France Aug. 25, 1920 Great Britain Apr. 7, 1927 GreatBritain Mar. 8, 1934 OTHER REFERENCES U.S. Divers 1957 Aqua Lung, page7.

1. A DIVING VEST FOR USE IN SKIN DIVING, COMPRISING A JACKET, A POUCHSECURED TO THE REAR OF SAID JACKET FOR SUPPORTING AN AIR LUNG THEREIN,MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE VERTICAL POSITION OF AN AIR LUNG POSITIONEDWITHIN SAID POUCH COMPRISING A FIRST STRAP EXTENDING ACROSS THE BOTTOMOF THE POUCH AND HAVING A WIDE PORTION IMMEDIATELY BENEATH THE POUCH,MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF SAID FIRST STRAP, A SECONDSTRAP EXTENDING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE POUCH AND HAVING AN ELONGATED SLOTTHERETHROUGH FOR RECEIVING THE VALVE OF THE AIR LUNG, MEANS FORADJUSTING THE EFFECTIVE LENGTH OF SAID SECOND STRAP, INVERTED POCKETSINCLUDING CLOSING FLAPS AND QUICK OPENING FASTENING MEANS SECURED TO THEFRONT OF SAID JACKET FOR SUPPORTING DIVING WEIGHTS, THIRD AND FOURTHSTRAPS EXTENDING VERTICALLY OVER AND SECURED TO THE FRONT OF THE JACKETEACH HAVING ONE END SECURED TO THE WEIGHT POCKETS AND PASSING OVER ONEOF THE SHOULDERS OF THE JACKET, THE OTHER ENDS OF THE THIRD AND FOURTHSTRAPS BEING SECURED TO THE TOP OF THE POUCH, A FIFTH STRAP SECURED TOTHE JACKET AROUND THE WAIST THEREOF AND A SIXTH STRAP SECURED TO THELOWER PORTION OF THE BACK OF THE JACKET FOR EXTENDING BETWEEN THE LEGSOF A DIVER AND RELEASABLY ENGAGING THE FIFTH STRAP SO THAT THE JACKET ISCOMFORTABLY SECURED TOI A DIVER AND MAY BE QUICKLY REMOVED FROM A DIVERSHOULD THE NEED ARISE.